My Family
by N.V.9
Summary: Minato had it all. A loving wife and two beautiful sons. His life was perfect and because of one person it all changes. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Minato was breathless. He was in awe. He was so many things at once that it brought tears to his eyes.

Today was the beginning of his new life. Today he was going to marry the love of his life. Taking a breath and trying to hold back the joyful laugh, Minato grinned at his best man Fugaku and his other groomsmen Hiashi, Shikaku, and Inochi. He was supposed to have one more groomsmen but it wasn't going to happen when Choza couldnt fit into his suit. Minato and his wife to be had taken pity on him and told him he could be part of the audience. Minato secretly thought maybe that was Choza's goal the whole time.

Fugaku cleared his throat quietly and nodded toward the opening of the church. Minato turned and saw their flower girl walking side by side with his ring bearer. Hana and Itachi looked so adorable in their little dress and tuxedo. Then Mikoto was making her way followed by Tsume, Yoshino, and shockingly Tsunade.

Then he saw her. she was so beautiful. Her wedding gown making her look like a princess. Her red hair was up for once in some elegant style.

"she's beautiful." Minato murmured.

"And she's yours." Fugaku grinned patting Minato's shoulder.

yes. Kushina was his. She was going to be his until the day he died and beyond. He couldnt wait to start his life with her. To have a family.

Durning the ceremony Minato couldnt take his eyes off of her and when it came down to say I do, everything in the world felt right.

X~x~X

"Minato, he's coming." Kushina panted holding her belly as another contraction over took her small frame.

"I'm coming baby, I had to get Kyuubi." Minato said in a panicked voice as he held his two year old red headed son in his arms. Reaching down he grabbed Kushina's bag filled with clothes and other things she needed for her stay at the hospital. "Come on baby, Kyuubi it's okay."

"Daddy, Mommy cry." Kyuubi said with tears building up.

"It's a good cry. The baby is coming." Minato said as he placed his son in the car and the bag at his feet. Running around he opened the car door for Kushina and gently sat her down.

"Mommy cry cause of baby?" Kyuubi asked rubbing his eyes.

"Yes the baby is coming now." Kushina said trying to reassure her son. "Minato you didn't buckle him in."

Minato groaned as he stopped the car and got out. Opening the back door he buckled his little boy in before jumping back in the front seat and taking off. "No more Kushina. Two boys is good enough."

"Of course, I wouldnt want a reply of Kyuubi's birth." Kushina said taking breath deaths.

"I dont know what you are talking about." Minato said stubbornly.

"You fainted."

"I did not."

"You also called the post office instead of the hospital."

"Anyone could have done that. Their numbers are almost the same."

"No, not really." Kushina laughed. "Then you thought Fugaku was a doctor."

"I did not... I did... what?" Minato asked surprised why didnt he remember this.  
"Yes ask him."  
"Why did he never tell me?"

"Because he felt sorry for you and Mikoto said he was the same way when Itachi was born. Except instead of calling 911, or trying to, he drove to the station forgetting about his pregnant wife at home."  
"Well... We are men we cant be expected to be rational at times like this!" Minato defended himself and all men kind.

"Sweetie?" Kushina said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"You passed our exit!" She screamed.

X~x~X

"He's beautiful." Minato sniffled trying to hold back his tears as he held his baby boy. How could one man be so happy, so lucky to have such a beautiful baby. He thought he was the luckiest man alive when he married Kushina, then he became double lucky when Kyuubi was born and now he had to have all the luck in the world. There was no other explanation. "Look at him, he looks just like me."

"Minato you've been going on like this for six hours!" Kushina complained tiredly. "Please put Naruto in his little bed and get some rest. You've been awake for close to twenty hours, that cant be healthy. This is like a repeat of Kyuubi expet you didnt faint and we arrived at the doctor on time."

"But look at him. He looks so cute sleeping." Minato went on ignoring his wife. "I thought Sasuke was adorable when he was born but he has nothing on my son."

"Minato please! Why cant you be like Kyuubi? He's already fast asleep."

"He also said he wasnt going to love his brother so I think I'll pass." Minato chuckled. "why dont you rest and I'll sit here with Naruto?"

"You need to sleep. I love my son too, but even a mother knows when to rest."

"Then rest."

"Minato." Kushina warned. Minato gulped and smiled sheepishly. When Kushina's glared deepened he placed Naruto quickly in his little bed beside Kushina's hospital bed. With a pout he went to lay on the makeshift bed with Kyuubi. Two hours later of waiting for Kushina to fall asleep he got up and went back to Naruto. With a smile he picked up his son again and went to sit on one of the chairs. A few minutes later he was asleep with Naruto in his arms.

X~x~X

"Naruto!" Minato yelled into the phone.

"Yes daddy?" Naruto asked cutely.

"Where did you go? I've been trying to get your attention for ten minutes." Minato said sternly. How he missed his family. He hated having a job that forced him to travel. It was fun when the kids were young but when Kyuubi then Naruto started school, Kushina decided to stay put. Now Minato traveled alone.

"The ice cream truck came by. I got an ice cream." Naruto said breaking into his thoughts.

"You left me alone for ice cream?" Minato asked shocked. here he was missing his family to death and Naruto left him for an ice cream! An Ice cream! Curse six year olds nation wide for choosing ice cream over their own fathers!

"Yep. It's good daddy." Naruto said.

"is Kyuubi there?" Minato asked when the sound of Naruto licking ice cream went on for five minutes.

"Yep." Naruto said.

"Can I talk to him?" Minato asked when Naruto stayed quiet.

"Yep."

a few minutes later Minato sighed. "Naruto, can I talk to him now?"

"Okay... Kyuubi! Daddy wants to talk to you!"

Minato flinched at Naruto's vocal level. Who knew that one son would look like the mother and the other the father, yet act completely like the opposite one they looked like.

"Hello?" Kyuubi said calmly. "Dad?"

"Hey son, how are you?" Minato asked knowing he would get a full conversation out of his oldest.

X~x~X

Ding dong.

At the sound of the door bell Kushina frowned. She hated when people interrupted family dinners. It was the one time that she demanded everyone be at the table.

Ding dong.

"Should I get it mom?" Kyuubi asked looking toward the front of the house.

"No, you and Naruto eat, I'll get it." Kushina said placing her napkin beside her plate. "Naruto use your fork."

"Aw mommy!" Naruto whinned but did as he was told.

With a quick smile to Naruto, Kushina got up and went to the door, Looking out the peep hole she frowned. Who was this woman? Without a second thought she opened the door and said, "I'm sorry right now is not a good time, we're trying to have dinner."

"Wait." The woman said stopping the door from closing.

"Yes?"

"I have news to tell you."

"Then leave a letter! Now I really must ask you to leave-"  
"It's actually about your husband." the woman said.

"What about my husband? Who are you?"

"May I come in? this isn't really a place for this discussion." the woman said.

Kushina frowned. Already she felt something bad was going to happen. Taking a breath she opened the door.

"Thank you." The woman smiled as she walked in.

Why did she feel like she was making a mistake?


	2. Chapter 2

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Minato frowned as his phone went off yet again. Already in the last two hours it had gone off seven times. Each time he silenced it and focused on the meeting.

It's probably just Naruto again, he thought, I swear that boy needs to learn not to use the phone.

Beside him Fugaku was speaking about what they should get rid of in the new budget and what should be added.

Promising himself he'd call in an hour Minato put everything aside that wasn't part of the meeting.

Soon an hour turned into two and then into three. With ten people getting fed up with the constant bickering, Minato had called a break for everyone to cool down and grab a bite to eat.

"I can't believe that fool wants to put four hundred thousand on nothing!" Fugaku growled. "There is no point to that! We're trying to expand our business not demolish it! Why is he still here!"

"Calm down Fugaku," Minato laughed patting his best friend on the back, "He's good, but he's greedy."

"Greedy? Ha! That man is just an idiot!" Fugaku grumbled. "I say fire him. He's useless. He has no sense of long term anything."

"He seems to be doing well in his own business." Minato pointed out.

"But not in ours." Fugaku replied as both friends walked into a cafe close by. Taking a seat at one of the tables both ordered a black coffee and a turkey sandwich. A few minutes both were eating and laughing over things their sons did that shocked them.

"Then Naruto goes, 'But dad! I don't need to know how to write! I'm going to be rich so people can do all of that for me.'" Minato said laughing at the cuteness of his son.

"I don't think I've laughed so hard." Fugaku grinned wiping his eyes with a napkin. "I don't know how you handle Naruto. He's to much like Kushina. Sasuke and Itachi, they are both calm and collected."

"Two Kushina's... It still boggles my mind that he looks so much like me but he's a little her." Minato shook his head. "Naruto is a handful all on his own."

"Naruto is something else." Fugaku grinned thinking of the little blonde. "Did you know I caught him going through Itachi's room to look for gold?"  
"What? This I got to here." Minato laughed.

"So I was walking past Itachi's room and I found Sasuke just standing there looking annoyed. I ask what was wrong and he said, 'Naruto is looking for gold.' I was confused so I go in there and I ask Naruto what he's doing. He tells me the same thing and I asked why would their be gold in Itachi's room. He goes, 'Because gold is protected by evil things that wont share. Kyuubi said so. He says Itachi is evil.' I still don't understand his logic."

"I don't think I ever will." Minato shook his head at his youngest son. "Kyuubi tells me he and Itachi are tied at being the smartest kids in the school."

"That's what Itachi says. He also says Kyuubi is going to stay behind him if it's the last he'll do."

"It must run in our blood." Minato said, "Remember how we were when we were kids?"

"We couldn't go one day without trying to outdo eachother." Fugaku smiled at their childhood.  
"Wouldn't change it for the world."

"Neither woud I. Oh that reminds me, I saw you messing with your phone. Is everything all right?"

"Oh, I completely forgot. I think Naruto got a hold of the phone. After the first million times he's constantly called me I learned that it wasn't an emergency. He calls just to complain about Sasuke or Kyuubi." Minato said pulling out his phone and dialed his house number. Holding the phone to his ear, he shook the waitress off when she offered more coffee. The phone rang seven times before going to the machine. "Not home... I'll try again in a half hour."

"Alright, we should really be getting back to that pointless meeting." Fugaku sighed as both men pulled money from their wallets.

"Joy. I'll race you." Minato grinned before taking off.  
"We're not kids anymore!" Fugaku yelled but the blonde kept running. "Fine, be that way." He smirked before running after his best friend.

X~x~X

Once back in his hotel, Minato called his wife for the sixth time. Trying to remember what she had plan for the boys this weekened he came up blank. Once again he went straight to the machine, "Hey Kushina, it's me. I'm sure Naruto called me earlier but I was in a meeting. Anyway, call me when you get this. Tell the boys hi for me. Love you." he said hanging up. Might as well take a shower.

The next morning Minato and Fugaku finally called an end to the meeting. They weren't going to agree on everything so everyone involved just compermised on certain things.

"Finally we can go home." Minato sighed as he sat beside Fugaku in the plane.

"In two days, six hours, and forty seven minutes I'll see my family." Fugaku grinned leaning back.

"Only you can tell the exact time." Minato snorted. "I cant wait to see my boys and have some of my wife's cooking."  
"If you can call it that. That woman's cooking could kill you. I'm surprised you're still alive."

Both men broke into laughter. When they calmed down Minato smirked, "I think my body made some kind of deal with it."  
"What deal?"

"If it eat's it, then the food can't kill me." Minato laughed.  
"Wait until I tell Kushina this."

"Snitch."

"Only for you. Now let me rest, I'm exhausted."

"Old man."

"Of course, I'm not as young as I used to be or as you think you are."

"I live in the now."

"You're mind may be young but your body is getting old."

"Shut up."

"Just what I was about to tell you."

X~x~X

Pulling his car into his driveway Minato grinned at his beautiful house that protected his beautiful family. Getting his bags from the back seat and the presents that he bought for his boys, Minato unlocked his door and went inside.  
"Kushina, boys I'm home!" he yelled putting everything on the couch. "I brought gifts!"

When he heard nothing he called them again. "Kushina?" with a frown he went to his bedroom and then his boys. "Where are they?" he wondered outloud as he pulled his phone out and dialed his wife's number.

As it rung he looked around the house trying to find any sign of his family. Ending up in the kitchen he grabbed a bottle of water and left a message on his wife's phone. Turning to go take a shower Minato saw a tan folder. Reaching out he picked it up and opened it. the first thing he saw was a folded piece of paper.

"All you need to do is sign your name." he read out loud. "What is she talking about?" he frowned as worry ate at his heart. Putting the paper aside he looked at the next piece of paper and chocked on his water. Tears blurred his eyes as his eyes landed on word, "Divorce." tossing the water on the floor he looked through the rest of the papers to see that Kushina had signed everyone and marked where he needed to sign.

"No. No. No." He cried slidding down the counter Minato cried into his hands. "KUSHINA!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"Calm down Minato, I can't understand you." Fugaku frowned into his phone. He had only been home for twenty minutes before the blonde man had called him.  
"She's gone!" Minato cried into the phone, "They're gone. They're all gone!"

"Who's gone? Minato calm down-"  
"Kushina left me." Minato sobbed, "She took my boys and I can't find them. She won't answer my calls. I don't know where they're at. Fugaku, I called everyone we know and no one knows where she's at."

"What do you mean gone?" Fugaku asked and shook his head at his wife's worried frown. Behind her, he saw Itachi and Sasuke standing, both holding on to the back of her dress. "Did she leave a note? Maybe she's with fam-"  
"She left fucking divorce papers!" Minato screamed. "She's leaving me!"

"What?" turing to his wife he, knew she heard Minato's words. "Why?"

"I don't know." Minato said and whatever else he tried to say was hard to make out between the sobs.

"Minato I'll be right over." Fugaku said and a few minutes later he hung up. "Mikoto, try calling Kushina, I'm going to go over there and try and figure things out."

"Okay." Mikoto nodded and took the phone.

X~x~X  
"Pick up." Minato said as he called Kushina again. "Please."

He wasn't sure how many times he had called his wife but he wasn't going to stop. He needed to speak to her. To fix things and ask her why. He needed to speak to his boys and make sure they were okay.

"Minato?" Fugaku called from the front door. "Where are you?"

"Kitchen. Fugaku she's not answering. She won't answer. Why?"

"I don't know, but I have Mikoto at home calling her too. We'll figure this out."  
"She left me." Minato said from his spot on the floor. All around him, the floor was wet and a bottle of water rested in the middle of it all. In Minato's hand was a tan folder.

"Minato..." Fugaku whispered as the blonde began to cry again. How could Kushina leave Minato? They were the love of eachothers lives. The second they met, they both fell hard.

X~x~X  
"Mommy, the phone's ringing again!" Naruto yelled as he tried to get it from the top shelf above the tv. "I can't get it!"

"Just ignore it baby." Kushina forced a smile and pulled him off the chair. She knew who it was. How could she not?

When that woman had entered their house, she hadn't even bothered to wait before she began to tell Kushina about the affair she was having with Minato. The woman even showed her pictures of Minato and her together. Pictures didn't lie. Not when Minato is smiling at the woman as he posed for the picture. How long was the affair going on? Did he ever even love Kushina or was that just a lie to pretend for the world?

"Mom, can we go home now?" Kyuubi asked. "I want to see dad, he promised to bring presents."

"Not yet honey." Kushina answered causing Kyuubi to frown and look away from her. She had told them it was an adventure. That they were going to go on a vacaction like daddy. Naruto had been excited to do what his dad did and Kyuubi said he wanted to stay with Itachi. Kushina had told him no as she packed his bags and put them in a car. For four days, they had been living in this hotel under a fake name. She didn't want to use her's in case Minato came looking for them.

"I want to see daddy!" Naruto pouted, "It's ringing again! Maybe it's daddy!"

Before he could jump on the chair again, Kushina picked him up around the waist and put him on the bed next to Kyuubi. "Sit with your brother and watch tv."

"But this is boring! I want to go home!" Kyuubi yelled missing his home. He hated this vacation. It was boring and they weren't allowed to go outside. Plus they didn't even get cartoons on the tv.

"Not yet." Kushina said, "Naruto leave that phone alone!" she shouted as she grabbed Naruto around the waist and spanked him.

Naruto froze at the smack on his butt.

"Baby-" Kushina tried to say but Naruto started crying.

"I want DADDY!" he screamed as he ran from her and into the bathroom.

"Naruto open this door. I'm sorry honey, but you need to open the door." Kushina said trying to turn the knob, "baby unlock it."  
"NO! I WANT DADDY!" Naruto screamed.

Once again the phone went off but Kushina was to busy with Naruto to even hear it. Seeing that his mom was distracted, Kyuubi climbed onto the chair and grabbed the phone. Opening the slidding door he went out to the patio.  
"Hello?"

"Kyuubi!" His father shouted. "Son, are you okay? Where are you? Where's Naruto?"

"I'm fine." Kyuubi said, "We're on vacation, mom said we're like you too, but I don't want to be on vacation. We can't go outside and we don't have cartoons."

"Vacation?"

"Yeah, mom wanted us to go on one too because of the lady. Naruto's crying in the bathroom because mom spanked him and he wants to go home too. Did you get us presents and can we go home yet?"

"What lady?" Minato asked.

"I don't know. She talked to mom and then she left. Then mom made us go upstairs and pack our bags because she needed to make a call. She woke us up real early and we left after a man got there." Kyuubi shrugged.

"Kyuubi why did your mom smack Naruto?"

"He wanted to answer the phone. It keeps ringing but mom says we don't answer phones on vacation unless it's important."

"Do you know where you're at?"

"No, it's an ugly hotel. It's brown and it says it has a pool but it doesn't. Mom rolled up the windows so we couldn't see out but I saw the lights as we passed them. You know the lights with the dancing man and the other one with the frog? Then we got onto the fast road and mom drove until we got here."

"The freeway?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Do you know what exist you took?"

"The one with the missing number. Remember that one we passed last time because the number was gone."

"Okay son, I'm going to be there soon okay. I'm going to go get you boys."

"Are we going home?" Kyuubi asked hopefully.

"Yes, I love you Kyuubi."

"I love you to dad. Mom's in the bathroom, I have to put the phone back before she see's I have it."

"Good night son, I'll be there soon."

"Okay." Kyuubi said and hung up. Sneaking back into the room, he put the phone back and went to sit on the bed again. Seconds later Naruto came out with their mom and dried tears on his face.

"Go sit with your brother." she said gently pushing Naruto to sit with Kyuubi.

A few hours later they were put to bed and their mom went to take a shower. "Naruto." Kyuubi whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Dad's coming to take us home."

"Really!" Naruto grinned. "Daddy's coming?"

"Sh!" Kyuubi said, "We can't tell mom."  
"Why?"

"It's... It's a surprise." Kyuubi decided. For some reason he felt like this had to be a secret.

"Okay. I want to see Daddy." Naruto grinned and moved closer to Kyuubi.

"Me too."

X~x~X

"Minato?" Fugaku called when Minato hung up the phone.

"I know where they're at." the blonde said, turning to his friend. "I'm going to get my sons."

"I'll come with you."

Nodding Minato grabbed his keys and headed to his car with Fugaku. He was going to get to the bottom of this and figure out why his wife wanted to leave him and who the lady was.

If Kushina still wanted to leave him, he was taking his boys back. He loved his wife but he wasn't losing his sons.


	4. Chapter 4

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

It seemed like years before Minato pulled into the parking lot he knew his sons were in. The whole ride over, he sat in silence as Fugaku drove. He knew he couldn't drive in the condition he was in. He'd most likely end up in an accident.

"Minato?" Fugaku called into the silence of the car. His eyes watching the blonde with a blank expression.  
"I don't know what room they're in." Minato whispered looking over the ugly hotel. The brick walls were cracked and broken. Windows were in need of cleaning. The parking lot itself was made of dirt and weeds. The only thing going through his mind was, 'my kids are here'.

"Let's drive to the otherside, maybe we'll see her car on the otherside." Fugaku suggested.

"Alright." Minato nodded and watched as more of the disgusting hotel was revealed. How could Kushina keep his boys in this place? Anger raced through him at the thought of his boys having to spend days here, unable to leave, in this disease infested place. How could she willingly put his sons here!

"Calm down, Minato." Fugaku advised. "I know your angry, but remember your sons are here as well."

"I know." Minato nodded taking a shaky breath. "There's her car." he pointed toward the familiar four door car parked toward the end of the parking lot.

"So which room do you think she's in?" Fugaku frowned running his eyes down all of the dark windows on the top and second floor.

"That one." Minato said suddenly as he got out of the car and began heading toward the stairs.

"How do you know?" Fugaku asked following him.

"I just do." Minato said pulling out his phone. "Watch." pressing a button he held it to his ear and waited. Seconds later a light went on and then the sound of Naruto's crying followed by silence.

In a flash, Minato flew toward the stairs with Fugaku right behind him. When he got to the door, he raised his hand to pound against the door when Fugaku stopped him. With a narrowed look toward the dark haired man, Minato watched as his friend raised his fist and knocked calmly on the door.

Moments later the sound of mummering and then footsteps were heard coming toward the door.

"Yes?" Kushina's voice came through the otherside.

"Ma'ma, this is the manager." Fugaku said changing his voice slightly. "We need to speak about your stay."

"But I paid til the end of the week." Kushina said unlocking the door. "What- Minato." she gasped trying to slam the door shut.

"Where are my sons?" Minato demanded pushing the door open and stalking in.

"Daddy!" Naruto and Kyuubi shouted running toward them and jumping into his arms. "Daddy!"

"Are you guys okay?" Minato asked checking his sons over and giving each of them kisses on their heads. "Come here." he whispered pulling them closer as tears built.

"I want you to leave." Kushina demanded as she glared at her husbands bent form.

"Kushina-"

"Don't speak to me Fugaku. Take your bastard of a friend and leave!" she screamed glaring at the other man.

"Why are you doing this Kushina?" Minato asked as he stood with his boys in each arm. Turning to face his wife, Minato wanted to scream and cry. To demand that she return home with him. Instead he just met her angry gaze with his own. "Why did you take my sons and what is the meaning of this?"

"Give me back my sons and leave." Kushina said trying to remain calm for the sake of her kids.

"They're my sons too." Minato said as he tightened his hold.

"Daddy are we going home?" Naruto asked unsure of what was going on.

"Yeah, baby we're going home."

"No," Kushina said at the same time. "Your father is leaving and you two are going to bed."

"My sons aren't sleeping in this place." Minato narrowed his eyes.

"My sons are staying with me." Kushina hissed reaching out to take Kyuubi. Before she could touch him, Minato took a step back and turned his body to make it impossible to get either boy. "Minato-"

"No Kushina. You listen to me. I don't know what this is all about. I love you and I love my sons but I won't leave them here. They're going home with me."

"Like hell they are!" She screamed reaching for Naruto and grabbing his little arm. With a tug she tried to pull her little boy out of his father's arms and into her own.

"AH!" Naruto screamed tightening his hold on Minato. Tears formed and fell as he continued to cry with the pain the tug of war was causing to his little body.

"Enough!" Fugaku shouted as Kyuubi began to cry. Pushing between both parents he grabbed the little blonde into his own arms and tried to comfort him. "You are both his parents. You don't hurt them when things are going wrong between both of you!" he shouted. "What is wrong with you!"

"Give him to me." Kushina said reaching for Naruto, "I'm sorry baby-"

"No go!" Naruto screamed through his tears. "You're mean to me! I want to go home!"

"Naruto," Kushina started but was cut off by Naruto's loud screaming. "baby I'm sorry."

"Kushina," Minato started, holding onto a trembling Kyuubi, "I'm taking my boys home. If you want to come then do. If not then stay. You can live here, but they won't. My boys are going to go home with me. I don't know what is going on Kushina-"

"So you with another woman is all in my mind!" She screamed at him.

"What?"

"She came to the house Minato. She showed me the evidence of you together!"

"I've never-"

"Stop lying to me!" Kushina went on. "Give me my boys and go."

"Kushina this isn't the best place for them." Fugaku said calmly. "Pack your things up. You can stay with us and Minato can take the boys."

"NO!"

"Daddy, I want to stay with you." Kyuubi whimpered holding on tightly to his father. His face buried into Minato's neck as his legs and arms wrapped tighter around Minato. "Please.

"Of course baby." Minato whispered kissing Kyuubi's hair. "Just do as Fugaku suggested." Minato begged his wife. "Please, that way I know you're safe."

"Kushina you can't be alone. Mikoto will take care of you and we'll get to the bottom of things." Fugaku went on when the woman only cried silently as she glanced from one son to the other.

"I want my boys with me." Kushina whispered wiping at her eyes.

"I want to stay with daddy." Kyuubi insisted. "Not you."

Silence rained through the room after Kyuubi's statement. Kushina felt like her heart was breaking. Her whole world was breaking apart. Everything she loved was slipping away. With pain eating at her heart she nodded. Maybe she should have gone to Mikoto since the beginning but she needed to be alone. "Okay." she whispered.

A few minutes later, she was in Fugaku's car with out her sons. Turning her head to the car following behind them she watched as her own car followed them. Her sons were in there. Her sons that didn't want to come with her. Both refusing to leave their father. God it hurt.

"They still love you Kushina." Fugaku said as she continued to watch her car until it turned off on a different road.

"I know." she answered before she sobbed into her hands.  
X~x~X

Minato layed beside his sleeping sons, one on each side of him, on his and Kushina's bed. No matter what he tried, he couldn't sleep. He just kept seeing Kushina with her heartbreaking expression as Naruto and Kyuubi came home with him. What was happening to them? Why would Kushina say such a thing?

Turning to gaze down at his chest where his sons rested their tiny heads, Minato let his tears fall. "I love you." He whispered to them and to Kushina. "I love you so much."


	5. Chapter 5

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"What do you mean you're taking my kids!" Minato shouted angrily as he jumped up from his seat and slammed his hands against the table. To the side of him, his lawyer, Jiraiya was trying to calm him down and force him to sit. Across from him, Kushina was leaning back in her own seat as she crossed her legs and arms. Her own lawyer, Orochimaru, sitting quietly beside her as he made notes.

"They are my sons." Kushina stated. "I've been with them since day one-"

"So have I or did you happen to forget that?" Minato snarled. "I won' let you take my boys from me!"

"Mr. Namikaze," the judge, Hiruzen Sarutobi, calmly called his name. "Please take your seat."

"She's trying to take my children completely away from me-"

"Take your seat, if I must ask you a third time you will be forced to leave." the old man said again.

Angrily, Minato accepted the seat that Jiraiya had pulled upright for him. It had been a month since he had found Kushina in a disgusting hotel, where she was forcing her sons to sleep. In that month, he had tried to reason with her, speak to her, anything with her, but she completely ignored him everytime. The divorce was quickly finishing up, much to Minato's shock, and now he was fighting just to keep his kids.

Kushina had Mikoto go and get some of her stuff and then had Fugaku come for the boys on the third day. Minato had wanted to keep them but he knew they were starting to miss their mother. He didn't want to separate them from her, the way she was now doing to him.

"As I was saying," Orochimaru said and steepled his fingers, "My client has been with the boys ever since they were born. She has been right beside them each step of the way. Feeding them, cleaning them, taking them to and from school. She is a constant in their lives, where as their father is not. Mr. Namikaze is gone more often then not. He's never in one place for long and is constantly on the move. With his schedual as busy as it is, I do not see him making time for his children. In his care they will be neg-"  
"I would never-"

"Minato," Jiraiya warned with a stern look on his face. "Your honor if I may?"

"By all means." Sarutobi gestured with a hand.

"Minato is the caregiver of his family. He travels, that is a fact, but he is home. He's never missed a birthday or a holiday for that matter. He's gone at a max of one week out of the month, where he is traveling to create money and provide for his family. He is a sound father. He's the one that pays all of the bills, keeps a roof over his family. Mrs. Namikaze has never once held a job and will be in no way finacially to provide for the boys. And then their is the matter of a home. Currently Mrs. Namikaze has no place to call her own. She is, I believe," Jiraiya made a show of digging through his folder, gaining a glare from Kushina and a glower from her own lawyer, "Here it is, living with friends. If the safety and happiness of the children is what we are after, I would like to remind you that Mrs. Namikaze has taken the boys to live in questionable hotels. And when they tried to contact their father, she fought them and denied them acces to my client."

"Your honor," Orochimaru said smoothly, "The questionable hotels, was in fact only one, which my client had run to, as she left her husband, believing she had no where else to turn."

"She had her close friends, the Uchiha's willing to take her, but she disappeared, and in a sense, practically kidnapping the young boys." Jiraiya argued, causing Kushina to gasp.

"I did not ki-"

"Mrs. Namikaze, the same warning applies to you." Sarutobi warned her. "Counsler please proceed."

"My client isn't calling for sole custody. In fact, he is willing, and has even offered, to do joint custody provided that it is spread equally between the two." Jiraiya finished.

"Your honor, as you can see," Orochimaru said, gaining their attention once more, "Mr. Namikaze violently acted out today on three separate occasions. What's to say he won't do so to his own children?"

"What's to say the same of Mrs. Namikaze?" Jiraiya bit out before turing back to the man at the head of the table, "Your honor, we can sit here all day and point fingers at one another and still go no where. The question isn't about the parents wants, but about the children's needs. Who can provide for them? Protect them? Be the parent in all of this? Both are willing and able, which is why I ask that you give each parent the same portion in their childrens lives."

Nodding, Sarutobi frowned and thought this over. "Mrs. Namikaze, where are you staying currently and where do you plan to stay for future referrences? I ask that you answer honestly because these are your sons lives at stake. I may not know them, but I know that each child born deserves a chance at a good life. I will not place any child in a place where he or she will suffer in any way."

"I'm with a friend of mine. I'll be there until I can find a place of my own and go on from there." Kushina said softly.

"And as was pointed out earlier, how do you plan to provide for the children?"

"I have some money saved aside that will be able to get us by for a few years. I don't plan to just live off of it. I plan to find a place of employment with whatever skills I have."

Nodding again, Sarutobi turned to Minato. "The same questions applies to you Mr. Namikaze, but since I have an answer to the second, I have a different question as well. If you were to gain custody of your boys what do you plan to do?"

"I have the home I live in now." Minato answered honestly. "I offered it to Kushina, telling her I'd find another place but she refused me. So it's the place I call home and plan to call home for a long time to come. Money wise, I'm set for life. I do not have to travel. I have a few associates that can take my place if needed."

"Very well." the old man nodded once more. "I've come to a conclusion. Concerns for the childrens welfare and anything involving both boys in the future, will go to both parents. You will split their time evenly. Two weeks out of each month in both homes. Neither of you is allowed to move from the city, state, or country without approval from me. Neither of you are allowed to leave the state or country for any type of vacation unless I approve. Is that understood?" Getting a stunned nod from Kushina and a relieved breath from Minato, he continued, "Mr. Namikaze, since the boys have been with their mother for the last few weeks, you will get the boys the first two weeks of this agreement. Mrs. Namikaze, you are here by ordered to find employment and a place the children can call home. If you fail to do either, sole custody will belong to Mr. Namikaze. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes your honor."

"Good, court dismissed."


End file.
